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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?

Last night several of the lights and outlets went dark in the house. Then
it mysteriously came back by itself for a few hours, and now these circuits
went out again. All fuses tested ok (unless there is a failed circuit
breaker somewhere). One of the dead circuits is an outlet that is right
below the main panel (so it's not a fuse or breaker in a remote subpanel).
Looking into this further, I tested the voltages going into a subpanel that
is right next to the main panel.

The difference between the two hot phases going into this subpanel show
110v. Between one of the hot phases and neutral it is 120v. Between the
other hot phase and neutral it is only 12v!

Last year the electric company came out to fix a broken neutral wire on the
telephone pole, and this reminds me of the floating neutral problem I had
back then, causing mysterious problems with some of the circuits. Because
there is a major difference between the different phases and the neutral, I
wonder if I should call out the electric company again, maybe their original
repair failed?

Or could this be due to a wiring problem inside the house that I should
check first? Or perhaps a failed circuit breaker in this subpanel?

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On Mar 11, 7:06*pm, "scorpster" wrote:
Last night several of the lights and outlets went dark in the house. *Then
it mysteriously came back by itself for a few hours, and now these circuits
went out again. *All fuses tested ok (unless there is a failed circuit
breaker somewhere). *One of the dead circuits is an outlet that is right
below the main panel (so it's not a fuse or breaker in a remote subpanel)..
Looking into this further, I tested the voltages going into a subpanel that
is right next to the main panel.

The difference between the two hot phases going into this subpanel show
110v. *Between one of the hot phases and neutral it is 120v. *Between the
other hot phase and neutral it is only 12v!

Last year the electric company came out to fix a broken neutral wire on the
telephone pole, and this reminds me of the floating neutral problem I had
back then, causing mysterious problems with some of the circuits. *Because
there is a major difference between the different phases and the neutral, I
wonder if I should call out the electric company again, maybe their original
repair failed?

Or could this be due to a wiring problem inside the house that I should
check first? *Or perhaps a failed circuit breaker in this subpanel?


Call the Electrc Co now , I would caution against using anything
unless a V meter has pointed to show its ok, I had bad repairs on
the electric co
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"scorpster" wrote in message
...
Last night several of the lights and outlets went dark in the house. Then
it mysteriously came back by itself for a few hours, and now these
circuits went out again. All fuses tested ok (unless there is a failed
circuit breaker somewhere). One of the dead circuits is an outlet that is
right below the main panel (so it's not a fuse or breaker in a remote
subpanel). Looking into this further, I tested the voltages going into a
subpanel that is right next to the main panel.

The difference between the two hot phases going into this subpanel show
110v. Between one of the hot phases and neutral it is 120v. Between the
other hot phase and neutral it is only 12v!

Last year the electric company came out to fix a broken neutral wire on
the telephone pole, and this reminds me of the floating neutral problem I
had back then, causing mysterious problems with some of the circuits.
Because there is a major difference between the different phases and the
neutral, I wonder if I should call out the electric company again, maybe
their original repair failed?

Or could this be due to a wiring problem inside the house that I should
check first? Or perhaps a failed circuit breaker in this subpanel?


If you test between the two hot legs, you should get 240 volts. If you test
from each hot leg to neutral, you should get 120 volts. If you got 120 volts
between the two hot legs, you have a dead leg. You need the check the
breaker or fuses feeding that sub panel



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"RBM" wrote in message
...
If you test between the two hot legs, you should get 240 volts. If you
test from each hot leg to neutral, you should get 120 volts. If you got
120 volts between the two hot legs, you have a dead leg. You need the
check the breaker or fuses feeding that sub panel


All the 15A circuit fuses in the main panel check out ok when I test-replace
them with a new fuse. I get 0.2 Ohms on the large 100A, and 40A fuses so
they're fine too. So now I'm thinking maybe it's not a floating neutral,
but rather it could be a dead leg on the phone pole? Maybe one of the hot
legs could have broken on the phone pole from the swaying tree branches just
like the neutral line connector broke last year.. would that be consistent
with these symptoms?

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Just now I tested 8v at a 220v receptacle for the dryer.


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"scorpster" wrote in message
...
"RBM" wrote in message
...
If you test between the two hot legs, you should get 240 volts. If you
test from each hot leg to neutral, you should get 120 volts. If you got
120 volts between the two hot legs, you have a dead leg. You need the
check the breaker or fuses feeding that sub panel


All the 15A circuit fuses in the main panel check out ok when I
test-replace them with a new fuse. I get 0.2 Ohms on the large 100A, and
40A fuses so they're fine too. So now I'm thinking maybe it's not a
floating neutral, but rather it could be a dead leg on the phone pole?
Maybe one of the hot legs could have broken on the phone pole from the
swaying tree branches just like the neutral line connector broke last
year.. would that be consistent with these symptoms?


You want to test at the main breaker, preferably with the main turned off.
You have three legs coming in, 2 hot, 1 neutral. With the main breaker in
the off position you should get 240 volts across the 2 hot legs, and 120
volts from each hot leg to neutral. If you don't get 240 across the 2 hot
legs, one of them is dead


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Now after this next test I'm really puzzled. I checked the voltage at the
terminals where a door opens the circuit by pulling out the blades on two
100A fuses. This is the door that turns off power completely to the entire
house. Between the top blade and ground it is 123V, and between the bottom
blade and ground also 123V. When testing between both blade receptacles I
would expect to see 240V, but instead it shows 0.2v, as if they're both in
the same phase.

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On Mar 12, 1:47*am, "scorpster" wrote:
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message

...

Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
analog meter is better in such as our case.


Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a better
measuring device? *I thought the Fluke multi-meters were pretty good but it
sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.


Even cheap (non-Fluke) volt meters are sensitive enough to pick up
stray voltages, if you connect one side to ground and then touch your
fingers to the input or + lead one will often pick up enough random
electromagnetic radio and other electrical 'noise' to get small
reading.

And connect it to even dead wiring such a meter will often pick
voltage from other working wiring running next to it within walls etc.
Posters here have reported 'stray/random' but meaningless voltages up
to 43 or more volts.

A good choice for testing such a situation is a plain bulb. Or a
pocket neon lamp/tester (Maybe that's what's called a wiggie?).

A 230 bulb is best but a low wattage 115 volt can be used if just
touched on wires for a moment.

BTW I have a 230 volt low wattage bulb permanently mounted in my
workshop which monitors the 230 volts; if one side were to go open the
115 volts from the oher ;side' would come through whatever 230 volt
appliance happened to be on and that bulb would light more dimly than
at 230 volts dimly.
The single bulb is a better way to monitor the 230 volts than two
bulbs one from each 'side or leg' to neutral.

If one needed to test best way is to turn off main breaker and see
what voltage is on the incoming wires .............

OR: Turn off all the individual circuit house breakers (every single
one of them) and see what voltage there is on the output of the main
breaker by testing the buss bars or inputs to the individual breakers.
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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?

stan wrote:
On Mar 12, 12:53 am, "scorpster" wrote:
Mystery solved! Southern CA Edison sent over a repair expert tonight within
a couple hours. Turns out that one of the hot legs was broken at the
telephone pole. The neighbor's tree branches are completely tangled around
the wires, putting tension on the wires and causing the entire pole to tilt
at an angle. This unraveled one of the hot wires. He repaired the
connection, and he's sending a crew out within a week to trim the neighbor's
trees, and then replace all the wires between the two poles, for a permanent
fix.

The best diagnostic clue that I found before he arrived was to measure
between the two 100A fuses at the main panel, where this showed 0v instead
of 240v. The reason I still got 123v from between each phase and ground, he
explained, was because of back-feeding from the house circuits.

Tip: keep your trees trimmed near the phone poles, and keep an eye on your
neighbors trees!


Exactly. One of the legs (sometimes but incorrectly called 'phases')
was open.

The two legs, with 230 volts between them are actually the two ends of
a single 230 volt transformer winding; on the pole or underground etc.
The middle or centre point of that winding is the zero or neutral
point. A neighbour had the identical problem with the 230/115 volt
service to his garage. Broken connection at the pole transformer. He
couldn't figure why his 115 volt lights worked but nothing 230 volt
would work!

In non North American jurisdictions several actual 'phases' are
sometimes brought into domestic/residences etc.
In the Middle East my son had 230 volt 3 phase main circuit breaker
panel in his 'villa'.

In Malta the three phases and neutral (4 wires) went along the street
on wall brackets and a different phase (and the neutral) were tapped
into each house!

And over in, for example, the UK everything is 230 volt; no 115 volt
(except in certain special and unusual cases).

Here, in Canada three wires come into house one being the neutral. The
other two being the 230/115 volt legs as described by the OP.

Hmmm,
Pole? I don't see any pole in my neighborhood. Power, phone, cable, all
are under ground. Nothing overhead. 4 wires, one is ground.
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scorpster wrote:
"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...

Everyone should have a Wiggy. It needs no batteries
and it's hard to break.

http://tinyurl.com/clx8nz


I might buy one from Amazon. So will this Wiggy really read the voltage
differently than my Fluke? Under what conditions would Wiggy report a
different voltage than a digital multimeter? This comes as quite a
surprise to me that the trusty Fluke would be misleading under certain
conditions.

http://www.amazon.com/Klein-69115-So...8?ie=UTF8&s=hi


The Wiggy is a low impedance device that actually puts
a bit of a load on the circuit being tested. It's like
a calibrated electromagnet. The higher the voltage, the
harder the solenoid pulls against the spring and the
farther the indicator moves. The Fluke meter will measure
induced voltages on wiring that has very tiny current
levels. The Wiggy won't react at all unless it's the type
with an indicator light. You could hook some test leads
to an electric hair clipper and get the same reaction.

TDD


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wrote:
On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:49:54 -0700 (PDT), stan
wrote:

Even cheap (non-Fluke) volt meters are sensitive enough to pick up
stray voltages, if you connect one side to ground and then touch your
fingers to the input or + lead one will often pick up enough random
electromagnetic radio and other electrical 'noise' to get small
reading.

And connect it to even dead wiring such a meter will often pick
voltage from other working wiring running next to it within walls etc.
Posters here have reported 'stray/random' but meaningless voltages up
to 43 or more volts.

A good choice for testing such a situation is a plain bulb. Or a
pocket neon lamp/tester (Maybe that's what's called a wiggie?).


A wiggy is a solenoid type of tester.
See he
http://tinyurl.com/dk7mh3

I use the neon ones too. You can touch one lead and the other to the
hot wire, and it lights up from the body stray voltage. You dont get
shocked


Hmmm,
Body stray voltage? Between hot and body, body acts like ground.
Voltage is induced. Between open(broken) and close(active) wires.

A 230 bulb is best but a low wattage 115 volt can be used if just
touched on wires for a moment.

BTW I have a 230 volt low wattage bulb permanently mounted in my
workshop which monitors the 230 volts; if one side were to go open the
115 volts from the oher ;side' would come through whatever 230 volt
appliance happened to be on and that bulb would light more dimly than
at 230 volts dimly.
The single bulb is a better way to monitor the 230 volts than two
bulbs one from each 'side or leg' to neutral.

If one needed to test best way is to turn off main breaker and see
what voltage is on the incoming wires .............

OR: Turn off all the individual circuit house breakers (every single
one of them) and see what voltage there is on the output of the main
breaker by testing the buss bars or inputs to the individual breakers.


Turning everything off is a good way to get exact readings without
crossover voltage like the OP saw.

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wrote:
On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:37 -0700, "scorpster"
wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
anlog meter is better in such as our case.

Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a better
measuring device? I thought the Fluke multimeters were pretty good but it
sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.


Digital meters pick up capacitance, which is an induced low voltage
across wires close to each other. They're made for working on
electronics more than AC supply voltages. They're too sensitive to
these oddball voltages like the 8 volts you saw at the dryer recp. If
you get used to them, you ignore those small voltages. I much prefer
a Wiggy as well as the cheap analog meters you can buy at places like
Walmart for under $10. My digital meter is used for electronics only.

However, you solved the problem, so be proud of your efforts. (Of
course we all helped !!!! ). I'm glad we could help !!!!

I also like to use my homemade testers. One is 2 lightbulbs wired in
series (must be same wattage). They get dim on 110, bright on 220. I
put aligator clips so I can hang them from wires and watch what they
do as I work downstream. The other is a doorbell and transformer on a
block of wood with a plug as well as aligator clips. With that I can
make it buzz in a distant room and go to the breaker box and flip
breakers and know which breaker controls that outlet or wires. A
cheal plug in radio works too, but they dont always stay on the
station and require antenna adjustments. I like the doorbell better.
(for 110 ONLY).


I often use the Jesus method for finding circuit
breakers. I use a plug with a pair of #10 wires
about a foot long with an inch of insulation
stripped off. I plug it in and bring the bare
ends of the wire together while turning my head
to avoid looking at the bright flash and exclaim
JESUS! after the mini explosion. It also tests
the circuit breaker while making everyone around
be very careful how they approach me because they
now think I'm completely nuts.

TDD
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The Daring Dufas wrote:
wrote:
On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:37 -0700, "scorpster"
wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
anlog meter is better in such as our case.
Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a
better measuring device? I thought the Fluke multimeters were pretty
good but it sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.


Digital meters pick up capacitance, which is an induced low voltage
across wires close to each other. They're made for working on
electronics more than AC supply voltages. They're too sensitive to
these oddball voltages like the 8 volts you saw at the dryer recp. If
you get used to them, you ignore those small voltages. I much prefer
a Wiggy as well as the cheap analog meters you can buy at places like
Walmart for under $10. My digital meter is used for electronics only.

However, you solved the problem, so be proud of your efforts. (Of
course we all helped !!!! ). I'm glad we could help !!!!

I also like to use my homemade testers. One is 2 lightbulbs wired in
series (must be same wattage). They get dim on 110, bright on 220. I
put aligator clips so I can hang them from wires and watch what they
do as I work downstream. The other is a doorbell and transformer on a
block of wood with a plug as well as aligator clips. With that I can
make it buzz in a distant room and go to the breaker box and flip
breakers and know which breaker controls that outlet or wires. A
cheal plug in radio works too, but they dont always stay on the
station and require antenna adjustments. I like the doorbell better.
(for 110 ONLY).


I often use the Jesus method for finding circuit
breakers. I use a plug with a pair of #10 wires
about a foot long with an inch of insulation
stripped off. I plug it in and bring the bare
ends of the wire together while turning my head
to avoid looking at the bright flash and exclaim
JESUS! after the mini explosion. It also tests
the circuit breaker while making everyone around
be very careful how they approach me because they
now think I'm completely nuts.

TDD

Hmmm,
When I was young I used to use my own two fingers, LOL!
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Tony Hwang wrote:
The Daring Dufas wrote:
wrote:
On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:37 -0700, "scorpster"
wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
anlog meter is better in such as our case.
Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a
better measuring device? I thought the Fluke multimeters were
pretty good but it sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.

Digital meters pick up capacitance, which is an induced low voltage
across wires close to each other. They're made for working on
electronics more than AC supply voltages. They're too sensitive to
these oddball voltages like the 8 volts you saw at the dryer recp. If
you get used to them, you ignore those small voltages. I much prefer
a Wiggy as well as the cheap analog meters you can buy at places like
Walmart for under $10. My digital meter is used for electronics only.

However, you solved the problem, so be proud of your efforts. (Of
course we all helped !!!! ). I'm glad we could help !!!!

I also like to use my homemade testers. One is 2 lightbulbs wired in
series (must be same wattage). They get dim on 110, bright on 220. I
put aligator clips so I can hang them from wires and watch what they
do as I work downstream. The other is a doorbell and transformer on a
block of wood with a plug as well as aligator clips. With that I can
make it buzz in a distant room and go to the breaker box and flip
breakers and know which breaker controls that outlet or wires. A
cheal plug in radio works too, but they dont always stay on the
station and require antenna adjustments. I like the doorbell better.
(for 110 ONLY).


I often use the Jesus method for finding circuit
breakers. I use a plug with a pair of #10 wires
about a foot long with an inch of insulation
stripped off. I plug it in and bring the bare
ends of the wire together while turning my head
to avoid looking at the bright flash and exclaim
JESUS! after the mini explosion. It also tests
the circuit breaker while making everyone around
be very careful how they approach me because they
now think I'm completely nuts.

TDD

Hmmm,
When I was young I used to use my own two fingers, LOL!


If you walked around giggling and twitching
every time you used your fingers as a Bio-Wiggy,
I suppose everyone would think you were completely
bonkers too.

TDD

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On Mar 12, 12:02*am, "scorpster" wrote:
"RBM" wrote in message

...

I'll say it again. You need to check voltage across the main wires coming
in. You want to test the wires before the fuses, not after the fuses, not
at any outlet or dryer or range or anything else. If you don't have 240
volts across the two hot legs at the point that they come in, it's not an
internal problem


Indeed that was the best diagnostic clue, to measure the voltage at the hot
legs before the fuses. *I bet that most people don't think to check that
because it is not so common to have broken connections at the phone pole,
and a lot more common to have blown fuses.


I think you'd lose that bet. Given the symptoms you reported, it was
very straightforward to work back to the incoming power line.








*In this case turned out to be
the neighbor's trees pulling on the phone pole wires, see my post below....




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On Mar 12, 1:14*am, wrote:
On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:37 -0700, "scorpster"

wrote:
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
anlog meter is better in such as our case.


Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a better
measuring device? *I thought the Fluke multimeters were pretty good but it
sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.


Digital meters pick up capacitance, which is an induced low voltage
across wires close to each other. *
They're made for working on
electronics more than AC supply voltages.


Capacitance is not an induced voltage. And there's no reason you
can't use a digital VOM on AC. That's what I always use.


*They're too sensitive to
these oddball voltages like the 8 volts you saw at the dryer recp. *If
you get used to them, you ignore those small voltages.


Rather than ignore them, what you should have is an understanding of
basic electricity so that you can correctly interpret what you are
reading. As others have said, you can get a voltage reading with a
digital unit because it has a high input impedance compared to a
typical analog unit. Which means that it disturbs whatever it's
measuring a lot less. The analog VOM actually loads down the line
it's measuring enough that the 8 volts becomes .8, or whatever. You
can turn the digital VOM into a less precise instrument if you want to
by putting about a 1K resistor across it's terminals, effectively
lowering it's input impedance.



*I much prefer
a Wiggy as well as the cheap analog meters you can buy at places like
Walmart for under $10. *My digital meter is used for electronics only.

However, you solved the problem, so be proud of your efforts. *(Of
course we all helped !!!! ). *I'm glad we could help !!!!

I also like to use my homemade testers. *One is 2 lightbulbs wired in
series (must be same wattage). *They get dim on 110, bright on 220. *I
put aligator clips so I can hang them from wires and watch what they
do as I work downstream. *The other is a doorbell and transformer on a
block of wood with a plug as well as aligator clips. *With that I can
make it buzz in a distant room and go to the breaker box and flip
breakers and know which breaker controls that outlet or wires. *A
cheal plug in radio works too, but they dont always stay on the
station and require antenna adjustments. *I like the doorbell better.
(for 110 ONLY).


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HeyBub wrote:
....
who built up his tolerance to electricity. Over several months, starting
with tiny batteries, he was able to withstand the maximum voltage to which
he had access (440v I think). ...


That's an utter fabrication if intended for other than the punch line.

It ain't voltage that kills, it's current (roughly 15mA is sufficient
through heart). Voltage is the driver behind current so it has an
effect in making the likelihood of the current higher, but simply static
voltage isn't a problem--think of the bird sitting on the HV
transmission line.

--
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On Mar 12, 1:35*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
wrote:

Wouldn't that resistor get hot pretty fast when across 110v or 220v?
Seems to me it would have to be a pretty large wattage resistor, not
just a quarter or half watt one. *And even a heavy duty 50W resistor
would probably get hot enough to burn your skin really fast.


Not if the resistance was quite high.

If I = E/R where E=220 and R=(more zeros than the stimulus) the resulting I
(current) is teeny.

If R = (say) 220K, you get I = 220 / 220,000 = *1 ma.

Power, then, is EI = 220 x .001 = .220 watts or 1/4 watt.




Yes, you got me on that one guys. I didn't have my brain fully
engaged. I was thinking more along the lines of the principle, which
is you can turn a high impedance digital meter into a lower one by
using a resistor in parallel. Something along the lines of 100K
would work, which would give you 1/2 watt at 220V.







I think
I'd rather get a $10 cheap meter. *Besides that, a costly Fluke
digital meter is too costly to use on a construction job where it will
likely get dropped or worse. *I'd rather leave it on the bench, and
use a cheap meter that wont make you cry if you drop it- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


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dpb wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
...
who built up his tolerance to electricity. Over several months,
starting with tiny batteries, he was able to withstand the maximum
voltage to which he had access (440v I think). ...


That's an utter fabrication if intended for other than the punch line.

It ain't voltage that kills, it's current (roughly 15mA is sufficient
through heart). Voltage is the driver behind current so it has an
effect in making the likelihood of the current higher, but simply static
voltage isn't a problem--think of the bird sitting on the HV
transmission line.

--


Perhaps I can find a heart surgeon who will install
a surge arrestor on my heart.

TDD
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On Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:29:38 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

wrote:

I knew a professional electrician who always used his fingers to test
live wires. He had the best equipment, but yet he always did the
finger mrthod. I never understood that, when a $3 neon tester can be
clipped on your shirt pocket and always be handy. Later in life he
developed heart problems, and after several open heart surgeries, it
killed him. I always wonder if all those shocks were the reason?


In a way. All those shocks over the years built up his resistance to
electricity such that the defibrillators in the hospital had no effect.

cite?

Your body does not build up a resistance to electricity. Your hands
can be dry and more fibrous which gives them more resistance, but
this has nothing to do with "immunity" to electricity.
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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?

On Mar 12, 12:02*am, "scorpster" wrote:
"RBM" wrote in message

...

I'll say it again. You need to check voltage across the main wires coming
in. You want to test the wires before the fuses, not after the fuses, not
at any outlet or dryer or range or anything else. If you don't have 240
volts across the two hot legs at the point that they come in, it's not an
internal problem


Indeed that was the best diagnostic clue, to measure the voltage at the hot
legs before the fuses. *I bet that most people don't think to check that
because it is not so common to have broken connections at the phone pole,
and a lot more common to have blown fuses. *In this case turned out to be
the neighbor's trees pulling on the phone pole wires, see my post below....


Looking outside at the light pole my have been a good clue too.


Jimmie


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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?


"scorpster" wrote in message
...
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
anlog meter is better in such as our case.


Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a
better measuring device? I thought the Fluke multimeters were pretty good
but it sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.


Fluke makes excellent meters and test instruments. I have a couple at home
and 3 differant types of testers at work. One is a very good modle 87 , one
a simple digital volt and ohm meter with an amp probe, and one I like the
best is really simple. It has several leds on it and tells if you have AC,
Dc nad a very rough indication of the voltage,or low resistance in the
circuit. I also use some of their high end (over $ 4000) calibration
instruments. I deal with almost all kinds of industrial electricity.
Everything from low voltage 4 to 20 miliamp signals to 480 volt 3 phase
circuits at 500 amps or so. Also some 4160 volt circuits and while I have
not done anything with it, we do have some 13,200 volt main feeders to deal
with.

YOu just have to know how and when to use the meters. For most simple AC
problems I use the old Simpson 260. If I suspect a false reading due to
induced voltage I change the scale and if the meter stays in about the same
place , it is induced voltage.


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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?

[snip]

I guess that's a way to kill 2 birds with one stone. Do your
electrical work and pray at the same time. If by chance you get
electrocuted, you'll go straight to heaven !!!!


To get that to work, you need to learn to pray at precisely 77.7Hz
(although some say 66.6Hz works just as well).

[snip]
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Default Floating neutral or wiring problem?


Or could this be due to a wiring problem inside the house that I should
check first? Or perhaps a failed circuit breaker in this subpanel?


My neighbor had that problem in his 20 YO house.. One or more neutrals in
his Service box were loose. He "lost" half of the appliances in his home:
stove fridge and micro got "cooked". The "fix" was to tighten all the
neutrals with a screwdriver


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